Depending on the environment and frequents of cleaning, sometimes a simple wipe down just won’t cut it when cleaning a computer. Not to mention, the most important part to clean is often the hardware inside.
Cleaning electronic components can be a tricky job if you are unfamiliar with the components and normal cleaning practices. Fortunately, there are a few ways to easily clean electronic components without risking potentially damaging your equipment.
Compressed Air
Compressed air is one of the best ways to clean out any electronic circuitry of dust and the usual debris that can pile up on a motherboard and in coolers, but there are a few notes to make the best of using compressed air to clean your computer.
- Can or compressor – compressed air is available in many forms. The most common form of compressed air for cleaning a computer is a can of compressed air or a gas duster, however, if you own a compressor, it will be easier and more cost-effective to use. Compressors are very handy, but can pose a problem if the moisture trap is not up to the job of freeing your air from excess moisture. Moisture is the enemy of fine electronics, so if you aren’t certain that the air from a compressor is dry, stick to cans of compressed air.
- Air pressure – the pressure of the air used is another important factor to take note off. Too low an air pressure will not clean out heat sinks and such, while too high pressure may risk pushing dust and grime into places where it do not belong. If using a can of compressed air, pressure will likely not be a worry. If using a compressor, rather start at a lower pressure and work your way up until all the dust is dislodged.
- Fans – when blowing out a computer, it’s important to keep the fans from spinning, as spinning fans will produce an electrical current. This would only become an issue if the fans were spun at high RPM, but it remains best practice to prevent the fans from spinning at all while dusting out a computer.
Compressed air is the best way of cleaning out a computer of the usual dust and particles that collect over time.
Alcohol
Sometimes the compressed air is just not enough, and it comes time to break out the big guns, isopropyl alcohol. When circuit boards have excessive dirt and residue, isopropyl alcohol is the best cleaning substance around.
Other than alcohol, many sources will recommend a nonconductive lubricant like WD40 for cleaning. Nonconductive cleaners and lubricants can do a great job of cleaning electronics, but often leave a film of oil, making the board more prone to dirt collection in the future. Isopropyl alcohol excels as with its extremely quick evaporation, it leaves almost no residue behind so you can get back to Grand online casino without any delays.
Some publications recommend using a minimum of 70% isopropyl alcohol, however, 70% can still be a bit low. For the best results, use 90% and above isopropyl alcohol.